February 16, 2016

Apple is Expanding its EMI Shielding Technology for the iPhone 7

Apple is applying a technology that blocks off electromagnetic waves to iPhone 7. It is a measure to increase device's performance while decreasing electromagnetic interference to major chips and to solve people's fear on electromagnetic waves from Smartphones.One industry insider stated that "As clock signals of digital chips have increased and as diverse functions such as 3D-touch and others have recently added, reduction of electromagnetic waves have emerged as major topic of this industry."

According to industry on the 15th, Apple is applying EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) Shield technology to variety of digital chips, radio frequency (RF), connectivity (wireless LAN, Bluetooth) chips and others that also include AP (application processor) and modems.

Although it has been applying this technology to PCB (Printing Circuit Board) and connector, this is the first time when it is applying this technology to most of major chips. It has decided to use this technology due to interference in wireless communication and others as clock signals of digital chips have recently increased.

When EMI Shield technology is applied, unexpected signals that happen due to electromagnetic interference can be prevented. Also circuit boards can also be assembled more elaborate. When mounting space between chips is decreased, areas that are left over can be used for batteries and eventually increase times that batteries can last. Major chips' production costs will increase due to addition of new process.

Apple has StatsChipPac and Amkor responsible for EMI Shield process on major chips of iPhone 7. EMI Shield process will take place in both businesses' factories that are in South Korea.

Apple first applied EMI Shield technology to major chip package 'S1' of Apple Watch that was released last year. To apply such technology onto major chips of iPhone 7, it has been doing development project with packaging businesses since last year. It is heard that Apple personally chose equipment partners during this process and had induced packaging businesses to give them contracts.

While Apple has experimented with using EMI shielding since the iPhone 6, it limited its use to the logic board, according to iFixit. Today's news simply confirms that Apple is expanding the use of EMI shielding as noted in the report.

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